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Florida will face a severe nursing shortage by the year 2035 according to a report by the Florida Hospital Association and Safety Net Hospitals.

The problem is compounded by too few entering the profession and too many leaving.

The report found Florida will be short more than 59,000 nurses by 2035.

The pandemic has made an already bad situation worse.

“We have a crisis today because of what our hospitals, staff have experienced throughout the pandemic, the stress and strain,” said Florida Hospital Association CEO Mary Mayhew.

Over the next 14 years Florida’s population will increase by more than four million.

The fastest growing segment is those over 65.

“That population is the one most likely to use inpatient services, out patient services, emergency room services,” said Justin Senior, CEO of Safety Net Hospitals.

Quality healthcare is a big draw for both people and companies who want to move to Florida.

Ultimately, not having enough nurses could impact the state’s economic and population growth.

The study recommends the state adds at least 4,000 new nurses every year.

There are now more than 18 nursing schools in Florida.

Senior said there are plenty of applicants, but not enough seats or faculty.

“The number of applicants to nursing schools has actually increased, but if the number of seats doesn’t increase, the number of faculty members doesn’t increase, then all you have is more applicants,” said Senior.

Willa Fuller is the Executive Director of the Florida Nurses Association.

“More forms you have to fill out, more things we have to document. And you know, one of the things now is that even satisfaction is measured by a survey,” said Fuller.

The report also found if barriers to health care are lifted, such as expanding medicaid, the need for nurses could increase by a third, to almost a 100,000.

Recommendations include using Florida’s strengths to recruit, expanding training in non-metro areas and increasing the faculty Senior said is lacking.

The problem is also made worse by nursing staffing companies that hire nurses, then lease them back to hospitals at a premium.

Thursday is the deadline for 750 Leon County employees to prove they have been vaccinated or lose their job.

Most have already gotten shots, but the state is likely to put the county on notice it is violating state law.

On August 5th, the Gainesville City Commission voted to impose vaccine requirements for all city employees.

On Sept 20th, a court issued an injunction against the mandate.

Three days later the commission voted to reconsider the ordinance, effectively removing the mandate, for now.

“Specifically rescinding all previous directions for COVID vaccination policies,” said Gainesville City Commissioner Adrian Hayes Santos. “That includes reasonable alternatives.”

The next day the state told the city it was still subject to being fined.

The move leaves only Leon County and the City of Orlando with employee vaccine mandates.

Both jurisdictions want proof of a vaccine by the end of Thursday.

Leon Administrator Vince Long wasn’t available Wednesday, but he did tell us on September 14th most employees were already vaccinated.

“The time for handing out free doughnuts for vaccinations for employees is over,” said Long.

Leon County is likely to soon get a letter like the one sent to the City of Gainesville, telling them they are in violation of state law.

The letter threatens $5,000 fines could be assessed for each employee.

It also asks how many were required to prove their status.

Two Leon employees we spoke with said ‘it is what it is’.

“I don’t have any problem with it,” said Solomon Hart.

“I don’t know, some of them ain’t going to take the shot,” said Bruce Hall.

In Leon, 30 exemptions have been granted for medical or religious reasons.

If the state follows through with fines, Leon could be on the hook for $3.7 million.

Leon County is predicting it will have to dismiss less than one percent of its work force after the Thursday night deadline passes.

Wheelchair bound Floridians haven’t been able to use a beachside park specifically created for them for more than three years.

They have been asking for change and now they are getting it.

The Agency for Persons with disabilities is giving control of the park to an agency that knows how to run a park.

Rish Park in Gulf County has been closed for almost three years, upsetting the disabled who use it.

“And memories and opportunities have been denied for too long,” said disability advocate JR Harding.

Since we first reported on the story at the start of September, it has been announced the park is getting new management.

The Agency for Persons with Disabilities, has agreed to turn over operation the State Park System.

“It’s really important to the disable community. It’s been closed since Hurricane Michael. And APD is not an agency that deals with state parks,” said State Senator Lorrane Ausley.

The transfer to the Department of Environmental Protection is set for December first.

“So this is a great move,” said Harding.

Harding proposed to his wife at the Park.

He has been the leading advocate for getting it open after Hurricane Michael.

“We’re excited about new opportunities and we’re excited about being involved,” said Harding.

Those who use Rish Park have told us it’s a place where they go to feel normal, have fun and not made to feel different by others using the park.

The plan now is to open the Rish in phases, with beach access likely coming first.

Harding said time is of the essence.

“If it goes six more months with a few bells and whistles, that would be okay. Another year would be completely unacceptable,” said Harding.

When fully functional again, the park will have it all: Boating, fishing, beach going, camping and a place the disabled can call their own.

Once in the hands of the State Park System, Rish Park will have the benefit of a full time ADA compliance officer, something the Agency for Persons with Disabilities does not have.

The clock is ticking for the parent company of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.

The state has given Unilever until October 26 to reverse Ben and Jerry’s plans to stop selling in occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank.

If the policy isn’t reversed, the company faces economic consequences.

On July 19, Ben and Jerry’s announced it would no longer sell its ice cream in the West Bank after 2022, saying “We believe it is inconsistent with our values for our product to be present within an internationally recognized illegal occupation”.

“I have not seen any meaningful response from Unilever, period,” said Executive Director of Florida’s State Board of Administration Ash Williams at the September cabinet meeting.

At the meeting, the cabinet gave the go ahead for the state to divest all Unilever stock if the company doesn’t reverse its West Bank policy within 90 days.

“It’s a small part of our overall portfolio as you might imagine,” said Williams.

Those investments now total about $139 million.

“If 90 days tolls from the notice they are given, then we are barred by law from making any additional investments in the securities of that firm, so that’s exactly what we’ll do,” said Williams.

The state won’t just be selling its shares in Unilever.

Once the 90-day period is over, no government agency in Florida can buy its products.

The clock runs out on Unilever October 26th.

“I would guess there are probably a fair number of public institutions that are buying those products. I don’t think they will be after the 26th of October unless Unilever is responsive on this issue,” said Williams.

In 2019, the state put Airbnb on the scrutinized list after it said it would refuse to offer listings in the West Bank.

The company relented just days before the penalties would have kicked in.

In a statement, Unilever told us that while they will not sell Ben and Jerry’s in the occupied zone, it will remain in Israel, where it employs 2,000 people in four factories.

Florida lawmakers haves begun the once-a-decade process of redrawing their own district boundaries, as well as those of Congress.

Two million more residents got the state an additional congressional district that will likely be in Central Florida.

From 2010 to 2020, 13 Florida counties grew more than 20%, while 17 lost population.

“Districts, where feasible, will utilize existing political and geographic boundaries,” said Representative Tyler Siros.

Redistricting has never been easy.

Then-Republican leader Bill James said this in 1982.

“The existing system has been more concerned with protecting incumbents than in protecting the rights of the citizens of Florida,” said James.

Even former Governor Bob Graham likened it to operating on oneself.

“Reapportionment is a lot like doing open heart surgery on yourself. It’s a very difficult political job for the Legislature,” said Graham in 1982.

Back then, maps were drawn by hand.

Now, residents have access to the same map making tools as lawmakers.

Sixty three percent of those who voted in 2010 approved the Fair District Amendments providing guidance on how redistricting must be carried out.

After the last map drawing session, lawmakers admitted they drew maps favoring incumbents.

That’s prohibited by the fair districts amendment.

But lawmakers said they now have case law telling them what they can and can’t do.

“So, we have a better understanding today then the legislature did ten years ago about how we implement these standards,” said Siros.

Jonathan Webber of FL Conservation voters is taking lawmakers at their word.

“The constitution is extremely clear on what the requirements are of the Legislature during this process, and, I am looking forward to them following that. They promised that. They said that,” said Webber.

The Fair Districts Amendments also requires the map drawing to get done by the end of the 60-day session, which starts in mid-March of 2022.

Florida Firefighters who lost their lives last year were honored at the state Capitol this morning as part of an annual state ceremony.some of those deaths were attributed to COVID. As Jake Stofan tells us, legislation filed at the state Capitol would make it easier for first responders to receive workers comp for COVID infections acquired on the job.

Among the 18 firefighters honored in this year’s ceremony, we’re told three died from COVID infections, acquired in the line of duty.

“This marks their final call” said Florida Chief Financial Officer & State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis. 

Top Florida fire officials tell us the bar to qualify as a line of duty COVID death is high.

“It’s a tough process and it’s heartbreaking. It’s truly heartbreaking” says Rick Butcher, Chairman, Florida Joint Council of Fire & Emergency Services

Representative Elizabeth Fetterhoff has seen first hand in her community how high the bar truly is.

And unfortunately, families of first responders who have died from COVID are facing obstacles collecting the benefits they believe they’re owed.

“We’ve actually had two officers that have passed away from COVID-19 recently, one leaving behind a wife and four kids and they’re being denied his death benefits” says Representative Fetterhoff.

It’s why she’s sponsoring legislation that would ensure first responders who acquire COVID in the field will qualify for compensation.

“COVID is a direct – something that they’re dealing with directly, and they need to be taken care of” she continues.

Under the Governor’s previous emergency order first responders had these protections, but they lapsed when the order expired.

Fetterhoff’s bill has already garnered the support of Florida’s Fire Marshal.

“Wouldn’t be even opposed if they wanted to make it retroactive to January one 2020” Patronis told us. 

Fetterhoff had this message for any group thinking of standing in the way of her legislation.

“Anybody that puts themselves out there as being against this, you know, they’re in the line of fire then.”

It’s unclear exactly how many first responders have died of COVID since the start of the pandemic in Florida, but scattered reports suggest the number is likely in the hundreds.

Under the legislation first responders would still have to show some evidence that they acquired COVID during their time on the job.

Florida has a new Surgeon General. Governor Ron DeSantis today named Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo, MD, PhD to be the states top health officer. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the new Surgeon General is calling vaccines just one tool to fight the virus.

Dr. Joseph Ladapo is a physician and health policy researcher at UCLA. His MD and Phd are both from Harvard.

“Joe has had a remarkable academic and medical career. He was also a great athlete in college” says the Governor as a way of introduction.

The doctor says he rejects fear over positive approaches to fighting diseases. He acknowledges some do fear Covid vaccines, and calls them one tool to fight a virus.

“Vaccination is not the only way, so we support measures for good health. That’s vaccination, losing weight. It’s exercising more” responded Ladapo, when asked by a repoter.

It is also clear he won’t be recommending any lockdowns to the Governor.

“After local downs, overall mortality increased. Lockdowns are bad. Lots of reasons why, that’s just one really good one.”

The Governor continues to attack the Biden Administration over its limiting of antibody shipments to the state of Florida. He says there is no shortage, so there should be no change in supply.

The Governor was quick to point out that hospitalizations are falling quickly.

“The census was down eight percent today, on a Tuesday, which is usually an increase because of the way they do discharges” says DeSantis.

And he reiterated his vow to fight to get the antibody treatments that Florida needs.

“To be so obsessed to kneecap Florida any way you can that you would take away life saving treatments” decried the Governor.

The Governor and Surgeon General today described schools imposing mask mandates as rogues. He also said sending healthy kids home because they might have been exposed in school deprives them of valuable learning time.

Dr. Ladapo will be under contract with the University of Florida. The contract is limited to two years. 

The son of a preacher and school teacher, State Representative Paul Renner of Palm Coast was today officially named Speaker Designate of the Florida House. He is an attorney and retired from US Navy after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Renner is guided by faith and believes god exerts his will in many ways. 

“I realized as a child there is no real freedom in a society that suppresses dissenting views. I ran for office like you in a deep belief that our county and its founding principles have provided more freedom, and more opportunity to more people than any other governing philosophy in history” Renner told colleagues after accepting the nomination.

Renner will take the helm of the House following the 2022 elections, providing Republicans remain in control. His term as Speaker runs through the 2024 election.

A hundred abortion rights activists joined Democratic lawmakers to rally at the State Capitol against the possibility the Florida Legislature will be considering a Texas-style abortion ban.

An identical bill to the one in Texas has already been filed and both the House Speaker and Senate President have indicated they’d be interested in considering some form of abortion legislation this year.

Representative Angie Nixon joined other speakers condemning the proposal and vowing to fight back.

“Safe, legal abortion is a right and it should be a decision kept between us and our doctors, not Republicans. Bringing this type of legislation to Florida is not about upholding the value of human life. It’s about devaluing the lives of individuals that rely on abortion as an essential medical service” says Nixon.

The Texas legislation allows private citizens to sue abortion doctors in civil court along with anyone else who helps facilitate an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected. If successful, they could be awarded $10,000.

By a two to one margin in 1998, Florida voters chose to make School Board elections nonpartisan, but two GOP lawmakers want to go back to school board candidates declaring their party affiliation.

When voters approved the switch to nonpartisan school board races in 1998, Democrats held a registration advantage of over 400,000 voters.

At the time, the change was seen as a way for the GOP to make inroads and develop a bench.

Today Democrats’ registration advantage is just over 23,000.

“It will bring transparency to the system,” said State Senator Joe Gruters, who is sponsoring the legislation seeking to return to partisan school board races.

Gruters argued mask mandates have already polarized voters.

“You’ll understand that if there is a Democrat or a Republican running for school board, they are likely to support issues that party generally agrees with,” said Gruters.

In a statement, the Florida School Boards Association told us: “…Education should be one issue where people all across the political spectrum could come together”.

With registrations now almost even, Democrats call this a horrible idea.

“It gives more of that rallying cry, I f you will, to their base. Rather than focusing on what is the best method to make sure our public schools are fully funded,” said State Representative Fentrice Driskell.

But Sponsor Gruters counters that local parties already make party affiliation an issue.

“You’re basically living under a rock if you think these races are nonpartisan. If you look at the parties in almost every single area, they will help identify, to their voters, which candidate represents their interests,” said Gruters.

If lawmakers are able to pass the change, six out of every ten voters next year would still have to approve, a tough hill to climb in a divided state.

Voters approved the non partisan races in 1998 with over 64 percent of the vote, but Gruters said the times were far less partisan.

A Florida Department of Health rule that took effect Thursday imposes $5,000 fines on businesses, governments and educational institutions that require proof of a vaccine to enter their premises.

There is also concern about a looming federal rule that could do just the opposite.

Any business or government in Florida that requires proof of a vaccination to enter now faces a a $5,000 fine for each person they ask.

Florida restaurants told us that’s the last thing they want to do.

“Asking a hostess at the hostess desk to start asking the customer when they are coming in to have dinner to see their private medical information, and that’s where we don’t feel its appropriate,” said Carol Dover, President of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.

Representative Anna Eskamani was one of 36 no votes in the House.

She worries tourism won’t fully rebound unless people fee safe.

“Having vaccine requirements around some of these more luxury experiences, if you will, will help insure the events actually happen,” said Eskamani.

As written, the legislation allows a fine of up to $5,000, but in its new rule, the Department of Health rule sets it at the maximum.

Restaurants are also concerned by a coming federal rule requiring employers of 100 or more to require vaccines or negative tests.

The problem for restaurants is they are already short staffed.

“Members of ours are really panicking over this because they might have a 110 employees, but they have more than ten employees telling them if you do that, we’re not coming to work,” said Dover.

The legislation also prohibits a vaccine from being required to enter a public building.

Leon County and several local governments are requiring their employees to be vaccinated by October first, and the Governor is threatening fines.

Any business that is fined will have the right to an administrative appeal.

So far unclear, is whether the Department of Health will set up a tip line for complaints.

A request for information went unanswered.

Florida said goodbye to the 46th Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court Wednesday.

Stephen Grimes was appointed to the high court in 1987 and served as Chief Justice between 1994 and 1996.

Stephen Grimes died at the age of 93.

He was known for being a straight shooter.

“We remember and honor the model of public service that he exemplified through his habits of true humility, steady leadership, and quite dedication,” said Florida Chief Justice Charles Canady.

On his first day on the job, when the new Justice parked in the lot behind the court, his unfamiliar car was towed.

“The humility came in Justice Grimes reaction. He made no fuss. He waited patiently. He did not display anger,” said Canady.

In 1994, information officer Craig Waters went to the then-Chief Justice, educating him on the internet and what it could do.

“What we told him the internet was a who new medium, just like television and radio are media. And he accepted that, which was a unusual at the time,” said Waters.

“And that’s how the Florida Supreme Court became one of the first courts in the world to have a presence on the internet,” said Canady.

Fast forward six years and the court was the epicenter of the disputed 2000 election.

“We had reporters standing in line for two hours or more, trying to get paper copies, when their home offices had already gotten the pdf’s and already reported them,” said Waters.

After leaving the court, Grimes resumed his high profile legal career.

He retired five years ago at the age of 88.

Asked how he liked retirement, he reportedly responded that he loved the practice of law.

Those who knew Justice Grimes told us they never never knew his political leaning.

It was something as a judge he never talked about.

Vaccine mandates remain in place for employees of Leon, Florida’s Capital County, following the Governor’s threat of a $5,000 fine per-employee.

County administrators are not backing down.

Leon County Administrator Vince Long said the county is sticking with a requirement that all employees be vaccinated or face being fired on October first.

“We have a responsibility to ensure a ready work force in Leon County to ensure that our work force is ready and prepared to respond to the needs of our community,” said Long.

But the Governor continues to see the mandate differently.

“We shouldn’t deprive someone of their livelihoods and their jobs based on this issue,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.

Language in an emergency management bill this year appears to allow the governor to invalidate city and county measures.

Long said federal decisions are on the county’s side.

“Well, the courts have held that vaccinations do not infringe on peoples rights or liberties. So, that’s what we hang our hat on,” said Long.

So far there have been 36 exemptions granted to employees, mostly for medical reasons.

Having had the virus won’t get an exemption.

We met Daniel at the county work facility, but he wouldn’t give us his last name.

”I’ve been vaccinated and I know a few that don’t and won’t, but not very many,” said Daniel.

We also talked to a man who asked to remain anonymous.

He is not a county employee, but faces a similar mandate.

“I think that’s one step away from telling somebody, hey, you’ve got to lose x or y number of pounds if you want to work at this establishment,” the man told us.

Like many of the COVID-era requirements, unless one side backs down, the only resolution here appears to be in the courts.

Leon County said the vaccination rate among its 750 employees has gone from 50 to 80 percent since the mandate was announced six weeks ago.

In addition to the county, several cities have also mandated a shot.

For the 23rd time, Florida commemorated Missing Children’s Day at the State Capitol Monday.

Florida is ahead of most other states in its efforts to recover children when they go missing.

It was a bittersweet day for the families that came.

It forces them to relive their tragedy, but also allows them to seek solace from the only other people who know what they truly have gone through.

“And we will never abandon the search for missing children,” said Commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Rick Swearingen.

Florida had the first missing Children’s clearing house in the nation, and of the 25 search teams certified nationally, Florida is a leader.

“Florida is privileged to have seven of those, making our state a model,” said Swearingen.

The board behind the ceremony was created following the 1995 abduction, rape and murder of Jimmy Ryce.

Both of Jimmy’ parents have passed, but they always believed Jimmy would have been found if a bloodhound had been close by, and they made it their life’s work to make dogs available.

“We’ve given out over 700 dogs nationally, in fact we even have one in South Africa,” said Mark Young, Director of the Ryce Foundation.

While hurt and emotion were on display at the ceremony, it is the same families that come back year after year.

“It get’s his picture out there, it’s not an easy thing to do,” said Billie-Jo Jimenez, aunt of Zachary Bernhardt who disappeared in 2000.

Roy Brown has been placing a yellow rose next to his daughter Amanda’s picture for 20 years.

We asked what makes him keep coming back.

“For my daughter. You know, I am friends with all these families,” said Brown.

The hope here is that no new pictures will be added to the list of missing before next year’s remembrance.

FDLE’s Missing Children’s Clearing House sent out 19 Amber Alerts last year.

Those alerts were directly responsible for the recovery of seven endangered children.